For Those Born in the Valley Where the Leaves Fall Red
by MintSong
Summary: "I must apologize," Constant Vigil had said softly, "I had given you permission to do as you see fit." Tensions are rising in the Dragon Kingdoms and old sins are gurgling up from the layered depths of history. R&R please. Testing this out.
1. Chapter 1

I'm posting this to see how it's received. It has been floating around in the back of my drive for a while. R&amp;R.

Update: I've fixed the spacing.

The reinforced door slid closed quietly behind him, guided by his hand that still lingered on its handle, effectively cutting off the drops of drizzling rain blown in by a light but biting wind and that wind itself. He stood for a moment, listening to the rain rattling on the aesthetically added tile roof that hid the strong shell of the actual building and for anything else - anything out of place. He internally sighed and slipped off his shoes. Two stair steps up from the entryway and finally onto the raised wooden floor of the main level, he let himself relax just a little.

The mobian mused over the events of the past several days as he stepped with padded feet towards the kitchen. He should send a message to his friends as soon as possible. They'll be worried if he doesn't arrive back from visiting family when he's suppose to but with the rising tension of the region he wasn't sure he should leave just yet. For a moment he smiled as he remembered how Charmy had become so excited, exclaiming about wanting to know more about this family he mentioned he was visiting. Did he have brothers and sisters and cousins? He shook his head at the memory and refocused, thinking over the conversion with his mother.

It had been early in the morning long before the rains had begun in the afternoon. Deep within the main base, Espio had taken a seat on the cushion at a low table, his mother already seated across from him enjoying a cup of tea before continuing with her meal.

"I must apologize," she had said softly, "I had given you permission to do as you see fit." The cup resting in her hovering hand finally contacted with the table.

Espio studied her.

"The Yagyu Clan and their subordinate groups are continuing to encroach into our territory despite our efforts to deter them. One of our offshoots, mostly civilians, is in danger of being discovered. There is the worry that they shall continue to encroach and many are asking for more stern measures." She paused. "There are rumors of a coming storm."

". . . have you and the council decided on a plan?"

"Nothing too concrete. Especially for the long term." She folded her hands in her lap out of Espio's view but Espio knew her hands were likely tightly gripped together, the purple of the scaly skin of her hands blanching. "Contingency plans are being devise."

He frowned slightly. "What kind of contingency plans?"

"For the trouble with the outlying town, if something were to happen we need a way to move the families out of harm's way. Those few of the clan who are not chameleons do not have the luxury of becoming invisible." Her gaze caught his. "Can you secure a warp ring for the Clan, and what are the limits to them?"

He had stared at her. "I understand, Mother. Have you finalized this plan with the Council?"

"No. I needed to know if you can do this."

"It could work. The Chaotix . . . may agree to it. We currently have two warp rings in our possession. It is to protect my clan . . . but to move everyone from even one of the smaller village? There would be a lot of chaos on the other side. Can the main base or Rainbow Valley sustain the added numbers?"

"It is a contingency plan . . . and I won't lie that we have already begun gathering extra supplies to fill community and personal storage as much as possible."

"Mother? Ah . . ." He knew she observed his hesitation.

"Some have added the notion to use the warp ring as a tool for positioning - for strikes," she figured his thoughts were tipping towards this.

"This sounds like you've already decided for me."

"The extra gathering of supplies was likely to happen anyways, Espio." She took a sip of tea.

"The Clan can ask the Freedom Fighters for help. The Princess is very experienced with diffusing political matters."

"Just as the Yagyu Clan encroaching into our territory is seen as a threat, having such powerful outsiders repeatedly become involve in this region's disputes, especially with the Freedom Fighters since they have the power of the Acorn Republic behind them, it will be seen as a power grab."

"But if all the clans were to agree to it first. An official arbitrator."

"It may not work."

Espio poured a cup of tea for himself. "The Chaotix need the warp ring for quick escape as well so we would feel better if we hung on to at least one. Only the amount of people that can fit through the ring's opening at one time can go through at that time and the size of the ring can only expand so large, and the user must know exactly where they want to go to control the rings. And what if the Yagyu Clan or someone worst got a hold of a warp ring?"

"That is why I'm trying to ensure that any warp rings are only used to move, for example, the people in harm's way." She paused. "So one must know the exact location they wish to go?"

"Yes."

"And a Dr. Finitevus is their creator, correct?"

"Yes." Espio watched as Constant Vigil gazed into the liquid of her cup, the lines of her face creasing. "Dr. Finitevus is a dangerous mobian."

"The reports say Dr. Finitevus is known to give warp rings to individuals that work for him. It could be easier to obtain one for ourselves from one of them."

"And takes them back when he's done with them," Espio had added.

"Espio?"

"Yes, Mother."

"May I ask a promise of you?"

"Yes?"

"If the time comes that we must relocate the people in the outlying territories that we may used the warp ring as soon as possible?"

Espio stiffened. "Mother! Of course I'll help protect the Clan but . . ." his posture slumped a little, "we are in no position to go to war."

"I know."

Espio's hand grasped the handle of the refrigerator door, suddenly in the present. He chewed his lower lip but was conscious enough of the action when it started to prevent him from accidentally hurting himself in his musing.

He let his head dip, his eyes closed. Nothing serious had happened - yet - but . . .

Should he ask to the Chaotix to help figure this out? They would readily come to his aid. The Freedom Fighters? The Princess could be very helpful in helping ease the tension but Sonic could be as much as a hot head as Knuckles and with what his mother had said . . . He crossed his arms in frustration, what he had wanted from the fridge forgotten for the moment. Because of their friendship with him they would likely be marked as favoring the Shinobi Clan which would not help whoever he asked. Maybe, the thought bubbled up, sour before he even thought it out in words, he could play the act of having left the clan. Distance himself and help his friends traverse this situation, diffuse it.

The idea went foul quickly. The Shinobi Clan meant family.

Khan wasn't experienced enough - not yet - to properly diffuse the situation or knew enough about it to be truly helpful . . . and the others trusted him enough where he could actually help them with the culture and the basics of the situation. Another idea popped up then. Have Khan ask - that may work. Maybe. But the clans would still have to agree to a degree to an arbitrator of any kind. Could he put that much faith in that everything could work out?


	2. Chapter 2

I'm totally not dead!

You are rewarded with more world building and plot appetizers.

* * *

The afternoon sun streamed down through the canopy of greenery high above him, higher still than the two smooth sides of rock that had been worn by water a long, long time ago. A soft wind whistled a hint of winter flowed nearly, continuously through the groove of the cavern. Espio leaned on the railing and watched the busy town beneath him settled within a series of strong walls and balconies embedded in rock. Mobians worked their way through the crisscrossing network of platforms and bridges. A group of children suddenly sprung out from behind a nestled group of buildings on the other side down a ways and noisily clambered up the side of one of the buildings, laughing loudly. Even from here he could tell one carried a small dog-mobini nestled in the back of their jacket. A small smile escaped his sour mood.

"You hit on a valid point with your mother."

Hiding his shock Espio turned back from the balcony's railing with a control movement. An older chameleon-mobian, his scales a deep yellow, stood in the distance behind him. The other mobian adjusted his weapon mounts as he walked closer to Espio. "You're back early." Espio said before pausing. "Hm?" Espio urged him to clarify.

The other chameleon-mobian walked right up beside Espio and turned to him, revealing a scar hidden on the side of his neck mostly covered by his padded chest armor. "To move everyone in that village, to move them _quietly?_ It will be difficult, and you can't uproot a group that size, that settled with crops and lives without leaving a trace of their lives or their movements." The yellow chameleon-mobian looked out over the town below them this time. "Intelligence suggest that the Yagyu Clan may not even know how close to us they are. They will know if they find that town."

"I already understand the situation."

The other seem to not hear Espio. "To think, that technology has developed to give the user instant transportation."

"I'm going to explain this to the Chaotix."

He finally looked at Espio again. "You are going to tell them your clan is in trouble, or just there might be trouble? Do they think you do not care about your clan? Don't think you may have family here? Even the clan-less know the meaning of family. If they hear that your clan is in trouble, they are not the types to shy away from getting involved in it."

"I'm not leaving them out of the loop anymore. I promised. They . . . should agree with giving the Clan a warp ring."

He studied the younger chameleon-mobian. "Really? And when they barge in here, wanting to know everything? Or they simply land in the region somewhere asking about where the Shinobi Clan is when you say they can't help? 'We're friends with one of them.' They'll have bounties on their heads from the Raiju and Yagyu Clans before the next sunrise."

Espio remained silent.

"Well then, if you're so adamant. Note this: your mother already decided with the Council this morning that your friends are not allowed to enter the Main Base or the other villages beside the one in imminent danger, and that is only if trouble arises," the older chameleon-mobian pressed. He paused to sigh and gripped the railing. "And about this 'coming storm' as the elders have started calling it, trying to give this some poetic ring." He glanced over at Espio who was still staring down at the town. "The Yagyu Clan is worrying them more than simply an offshoot village possibly being discovered."

Espio looked over at him, waiting.

"Two of our scouts observing the Yagyu Clan reported," he inhaled deeply and started again. "There is a group within the Yagyu that are trying to bring back the old ways."

"The Princess talked about the Yagyu Lord rejecting a Clan Bride. Their clan is supposed to be splintering."

"No, not just that," he shook his head, "and they are splintering. Within the," he paused. His head dipped as he shifted on his feet . . . and sighed.

". . . What has happened?"

Silence steeped for moment. The older chameleon-mobian finally straightened, remaining quiet. "Go talk to Madam Fawn," he broke his silence, his expression now hard and unreadable, "I've already discussed this with her. She should be open with you. She will be able to give you the details you need."

A confused look plastered itself onto Espio's face. "What's-"

"Not here," he added softly, cutting Espio off completely with a stern look. "Go," he shyly glanced around as he turned to leave, "I know somehow you are going to get yourself in the middle of anything that would happen. I want you to be cautious. Consider this information an early disclosure of some of the information you'll get on your eighteenth birthday."

"I'm sixteen."

"It's to help you get to seventeen." Espio watched as the other shimmered from view.

* * *

The strange scent could clearly be caught coming from the building long before one arrived at its garden gate.

The garden surrounding the modest house edged on overgrown. Even the vegetables, though carefully weeded and set off from the rest of the flowers and shrubs, were a touch wild. Espio's gaze ran over the old maples. Surely she had found a helper by now.

The door slid open faster than he expected. Caught off guard he flinched, falling into a bow. He glanced up, realizing Madame Fawn was not the one at the door. "Good afternoon, cousin," he added while straightening. The younger chameleon girl beamed up at him expectantly. ". . . Is Madame Fawn home?"

"Yes. Do you want a reading?"

"N-no. General Daiki informed me that Madame Fawn needed to speak with me."

"Does she?"

Espio raised an eyebrow. ". . . Yes."

A small fit of giggles erupted from her, her hand coming up to try and still her spreading smile. "I'm playing~ Madam has been waiting for you. I'll go inform her." She ushered him inside quickly pass a flourish of curtains.

"So you are Madam Fawn's helper now, cousin?"

"Yup!" The broadest of smiles curved across her face. "Wait here please," she said as she disappeared behind more curtains faster than he could get a reply out.

He decided to stand as he waited. Herbs, drying from the ceiling beams, hung only feet above his head. The smells in the house grew stronger and stronger as he waited but he was finally becoming use to its bite that lingered in his senses. Shelves and shelves surrounded him. Jars, books, and loose leaf paper with scribbles filled them and table tops. He drifted to the fireplace where a large pot bubbled on its grate. Espio smiled as memories flooded back.

"Cousin!"

Espio found her peeking out from the curtains.

"Madame Fawn is ready to see you."

"Thank you," Espio quietly thanked her as he slipped by into the back room. Eyeing the multiple vials laid out on it, he sat down at the low table. The elderly deer-mobian across from him paid him no attention for the moment and continued brushing a powder from a mortar into the liquid of a small vial. As soon as both mortar and vial were on the table the stern concentration etched into the woman's features melted and she flashed him a mischievous smile. "Let old great-aunty look at ya!" Thin hands, strangely strong for their age, cupped his face.

"An'y, pheese~" he managed to mumble as she looked him over.

"Have you been eating proper? Not enough warm drink, I think," she thought out loud, one still pepper-colored eyebrow cocking up.

"Aunt," his face was finally free. "Please, General Daiki sounded urgent when I talked to him. He said you would be able to give me more detail on the situation with the Yagyu Clan."

Madame Fawn leaned to the side. "Dear," she called back to his cousin, "go fetch us some tea. Add some gingko. Hmm, perhaps some ginger as well." She paused, thinking. "Then put on another kettle and make a properly steeped batch with gingko for the road." Finally turning back to him, she hummed thoughtfully, "first things first. Give me your hand."

Espio eased back. "What?"

She gingerly held out her hand for his. "Don't worry, child. It won't hurt."

"Wait, what?" he drew back _much _further.

The woman's gaze gained an added glint. "So, what did you and General Daiki talk about?"

"Nothing about . . . what are you trying to do?"

"I just need a couple drops of blood to test for the river flu that has been travelling around. You have not been tested yet, correct?"

"Yes."

"Then give me your hand, dear."

Internally sighing, Espio slipped off his brace and glove and reluctantly settled his hand in his great aunt's.

"The Yagyu Clan . . ." she started. (Espio briefly flinched.) "The King of the Free People's plan was to splinter the clan, yes?"

"Yes."

"How much do you know of the current situation?"

"I've been off traveling with the Chaotix for several months and have not been in contact with the main lines of communication during that time. From other sources, they say it is working."

"Hmm. Basics then," she muttered. "The Yagyu Clan splintered. Each currently fights for the title of Yagyu. A large portion wished to keep feeding from the Warlord Eggman's power like the Raiju Clan. About equal portions of those remaining wished for the return of a Bride and the old ways respectively but the larger of the two seek to return to the old ways. A handful has fled and are attempting to hide among the Free Peoples. The main concern has come from the portion seeking to return to the old ways."

With a long sleeve she tidied up the table top a little. "There has been assassinations with their signature. Nine have been confirmed."

"Has the King of the Free People figured it out it's them?"

"He knows," she paused, "and our sources says the 'market' is tipping in their favor."

"Just great," he sighed.

"Hmm," the elderly deer-mobian glanced at the shifting curtain. "Ah~ finally! Put it in the middle, dear." She clapped her hands together as Cousin poured the steaming tea. "Just the thing to live to a hundred and forty-seven like dear Great Aunty Fawn."

Cousin tried to stifle her laugh to keep from accidentally jerking the stream away from the cups.

Espio took a cup. "Were you not three hundred and something two years ago?"

"Three hundred and forty-six and no," she said with a smile.

Espio pressed the cup to his mouth to hide his smile.

"They have been dabbling in the old arts." Espio's gaze shot back to Madame Fawn. "The old blood rites."

The cup drifted from Espio's mouth.

"Two of the top trackers found a hidden training ground deep in the southern caves just in the edge of our territory – recently established. The Generals are most worried they may succeed in recreating the demon warriors of old, or relearning the curses." Her eyes looked up and caught Espio's gaze, studying him. "Like the _folk tales. _Unfeeling berserkers as I believe the West calls such warriors, and why they choose to settle within our territory, as well. _Why here?_"

A hollow _thunk!_ sounded as a cup landed on the table.

"You're mature enough to know about this – _worrying about bumps in the night _– but completely refrain from letting this information slip in the open, possibly near younger ears."

The possibilities stewed a solid minute. "What is the Clan going to do about this?" the words flew, "We can't standby with something like _that_ going on so close." He paused. "How much of the old stories are true? What if . . . have they succeeded in any of the rites?"

"No witness accounts," a sip was taken, "villages haven't disappeared, though, whatever proof that gives. I have the impression that the Matron wished for an outside group to 'pop the bag.'" Madame Fawn studied him.

Espio stared back. ". . . But I talked with the Matron. She said an arbitrator, especially a foreign one, may not work . . . and . . ." He mucked around the idea. "The Chaotix? A strike?"

"Not necessarily. Information should be leaking to the proper authorities. Politics are a fickle thing. Trade-offs of traditions, progress, needs, wants, _desires_~ it's all so annoying sometimes (at least to this silly old doe) but I know the Matron knows how to step on the right toes, especially when something so blatantly against the general code of the Peoples is happening." Madam Fawn set the tops on the remaining jars opened on the table. "Espio?"

"Yes, Great Aunt?"

"Can you try to arrange with your friends to stay for a few more days? I don't want you to travel off somewhere and _then_ come down with the river flu."

"Please, I feel fine. Who is being informed?"

"I'll get Amaya to give you a supplement to take over the next few days to build up an immunity to it. Also, Amaya," Madam Fawn called to her, "go get the book."

"A book?" _He can never get her to be straight with him._

"Yes," Madam Fawn turned back to him, "You'll probably remember it. It's an old children's folk tale book. I want you to give it back to your mother for safe keeping. It's probably still very sentimental to her." She stirred a powder into her own tea. "The information is being fed to the leaders in the cities and villages. The King will know soon enough if not already."

Amaya stepped up to them, handing Espio a thick yellow sleeve as he stood. It was already opened at the top so Espio took the liberty to slip its contents out. The book was old with wear on all edges and fraying fabric cover. Gingerly he eased the cover open.

"I'll let Amaya see you off. I can't do much more than this. These old bones can't take much anymore."

Espio bowed deeply to Madam Fawn. "Thank you for the information," he said formally. "Please, if anything else comes to light, you will tell me?"

"Within my means, dear. Visit anytime if you have questions or need to visit elderly Great Aunty." Her attention fell to one of the many jars on the table.

Espio paused . . . and turned back to Aunty Fawn fully. "Please, is there anything more you can give me? General Daiki said you would give me details."

Madam Fawn shot him a look, sternness tinted with a smirk. As her gaze fell back to the table she paused just enough on the book.

Catching it, Espio stared down at the inconspicuous book. "It is bad form for the messenger to read the message they're delivering," he said without looking back up.

"Hm-hmm," Madam Fawn hummed rather demurely. "Espio, I have another favor to ask."

"Yes?"

"Can you take some time from your schedule and visit with your cousin more? As you have probably figured by now, she is training to be Old Aunty's successor. Why don't you stay a bit and visit? Give her a break from her studies."

Espio knew that tone. "I will." Outside the curtain Espio merely stood there, the distant sounds of Amaya fiddling with things barely reaching him. What _was _he going to do? Remembering the weight of the old book, he opened it and paged through the first portion, the information still churning in the back of his mind. "Heh, I remember this," he broke his own silence. He ran a finger across a page to straighten the image of the young chameleon-mobian depicted crying under an old guardian maple. Lost, he remembered, while trying to free their father from a curse.

All he saw was familiar stories told to little ones to keep them from wandering off too deep into the forest. Stories used to warn them to keep their room clean or monsters would nest in the gaps of the house, to be wary of strangers with possible ill intentions (and within those stories terrible magic).

"Cousin?" He looked up at Amaya. "Here." She held out a small brown bag.

"Thank you." The book slipped back into its sleeve, he settled it and the bag into the crook of an arm. He could see Amaya failing to fully contain the laughter threatening to burst out.

Amaya smiled. "So, does she want you to read to me or something?" she whispered.

Something akin to a laugh came from Espio. "Ama-" He was cut off as Amaya, hands now clasped together with a sharp snap, stared up at him with pleading eyes.

"What is it like on the western continent? Tell me everything! Speech patterns! What is their humor like! How's the food!"

"It's-"

"Do they really wear their shoes everywhere, even to bed? Does-"

A true laugh escaped Espio at that one.

* * *

The contents of the small vial mixed thoroughly as Madam Fawn swirled it. A couple last swishes before finally she held it out over the flame used to keep the tea warm with a pair of metal tongs, waiting for any color change. A small flame flicker of memories flashed in her eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

"Espio's late!" Charmy yelled as he suddenly jumped from the patch of shaded grass where he had sat. The bee-mobian had tried all day to restrain from speaking his mind, the others saying Espio would be fine, but he couldn't take it any longer. Short wings buzzed loudly in the humid air as he hovered back and forth over the others, tried from just waiting around with no missions, no cases, and no Espio.

There was a collected grumble from those sitting around in the large tree's shade to escape the hot mid-day sun.

Atop the altar nearby Knuckles stood scanning the horizons. He glanced back as Vector half-heartedly swatted at Charmy. The others' words didn't sit well with him.

"It's only been a day, Charmy," Mighty said under a floppy shade hat the others still weren't sure actually where he had gotten it from, only that is was "somewhere between the east and west coast of Notheramer from a guy with a sack full of apples." The armadillo-mobian gently shifted to free his hand so not to wake Ray as he doze next to Mighty. He flipped up his hat. "He said he was visiting family. I would take my time with that."

"He still should have sent the follow-up message he promised by now," Saffron injected.

There was a low growl. "Every time _they're_ involved, Espio ends up on the wrong side of things," Vector grumbled, crossing his arms as he deflated further across the blanket in an attempt to relax.

Knuckle frowned harder. He glanced down at the sleeping form of Julie-Su, taking a little longer before glancing at the others.

Vector sat up and grabbed for another sandwich from the tray. "I wouldn't trust them to take care of him."

"We don't know that they won't. He did say family," Saffron added again.

"Precisely," Vector continued, "we- don't- know. He could have gotten another damn message and we just let him walk back into their hands."

"If he doesn't answer by tomorrow afternoon we . . . ask around," Knuckles interrupted. Their words didn't settle with him at all.

The other Chaotix studied him.

* * *

He remembered walking down a dimly lit corridor. It was late, he thinks, but there were no windows or sky lights to give any hints to what happened beyond the building's strong walls.

Espio still remembers the soft sounds of small padded feet, his own, as he walked hesitantly through the series of crisscrossing corridors. Countless screen doors lined the halls. He had never been this deep into the Main Base before in his young life of six years and every strange thing was made stranger steeped in shadows.

A quick glance behind and he took a chance and darted around the next corridor, hoping that _finally_ he would find his mother.

_Whispering again._ It was following him.

He had woken up in his mother's study, something that to the him walking down those corridors felt like an eternity ago. A softly lit nightlight slowly spun on a nearby low table in the otherwise darkened room, casting its familiar blurry forms of shifting colors. The couple of textbooks his father had given him sat nearby in a little stack. His mother gone.

For a while Espio had laid there, tucking the edge of the covers further and further up around his head. The blaring silence burned in his ears but it was the inconsistent distant _whispering_ that was fueling his adrenaline. He thought it was whispering. It had to be but it was so soft.

_Ssphss~_

He curled further under the cover.

Something was out there in the quiet. Softly moving about.

He waited, but nothing moved further. What if it was those spirits that eat old screen doors, he thought, like the ones Grandmother had told him stories about? What if they had come to nip at him while he slept?

With the next turn down yet another hall his heart skipped a beat as he realized warm light bloomed out of an open doorway down this one. He ran for it, pausing long enough at the door's boundary to swallow his fears and peek through.

A hunched form shifted in the rows and rows of shadows from the many rows of book shelves. The _click! . . . click!_ of a cane on tile came from it. The figure finally emerged from the rows and shuffled to a set of tall tables, several books secured under an arm. With the books on the table, the elderly deer woman rolled up her light green sleeve and reached for an ink set.

_It was that strange woman that smells weird_. "Uh~ excuse me?" he said, his voice feebler than he would like to admit.

A set of sharp green-gold eyes narrowed on him. Eyes that always drilled into his own on the sporadic occasions this same deer-mobian visited his mother.

They stared at each other of a moment before the woman pushed the stack of books back against the wall. "Is something the matter, child?" she asked.

Espio had stared, still hugging the door's frame.

Those keen eyes softened. "Now, now. What is the matter?"

"I can't find my mom."

Something bloomed over the woman's face. "The Matron?" she paused in thought. The woman suddenly covered the distant between them. A smile now splashed on her face. "You're very lucky, aren't you?"

"Huh?"

"The Matron is collecting some reference books as we speak. She is in the back a ways. She'll be back here within minutes. Very lucky indeed," the words danced teasingly across her tongue.

"I . . ." A moment drifted by. "May I go see her?"

"The section she's in is not for young'uns, curious or otherwise," she turned back to the table. "She'll be here sooner than you think. How about I get you a-"

"Espio?"

Both watched as another figure drifted from the rows of shelves.

"Mom!" Espio had dashed to the other and buried his head in the silken cloth of her robes.

"Why aren't you in bed, Espio?" She fell to a knee, trying to keep the bundle of scrolls from slipping at the same time as rubbing the back of her son's head. "Shhhuuu~ . . . Did you have a nightmare?" A muffled "no" answered. Sitting further, she gingerly repositioned him into her lap, the scrolls set aside. A finger rubbed away the lingering beginnings of tears. "Silly child."

"What if a monster got me?"

"There are guards stationed all throughout the base. You are safe, my little one."

Espio peeked over at the scrolls. "What are you reading?"

"Nothing that concerns you for now."

Espio huffed and pouted. "I want to see."

"No." Her warm smile softly etched into his memory. "What do you need to get back to bed, Espio?"

"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm . . . uhh – story!"

She cocked an eyebrow playfully. "Any one in particular?"

"The one Grandma read to me when we last visited the shrine!"

She had giggled. "And which one is that?"

"The one about the girl born in the pile of maple leaves!" Something he didn't recognize flash across his mother's face.

* * *

Amaya grabbed another almond thin from the plate. They had sat at the taller table, allowing her legs to freely kick back and forth as she let Espio familiarize himself with the book, or maybe, she mused, she should say re-familiarize. "Maybe you need to read between the lines? Maybe it is implied?"

"Ehh . . ." Espio set the book open on the table and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Memories drifted back with each new story but nothing stood out as particularly helpful. His hand came to rest of the table with the other. Aunty Fawn was likely using this to refresh his knowledge, to help him identify myth versus what was written in this book. How was she so confident in the quality of the information within it? The quality of the information was key and passed along with the information. Otherwise, truly, how good would the information be to the clan or you . . . or your friends?

"I've read it several times already. While bloodier it's the same stories my dad tells me for bedtime but Madam Fawn keeps it heavily locked up in a secret place – don't ask me where. She brings it out and keep it in the safe for a while and then it will disappear suddenly again." She paused to swallow the cookie. "Something must be special about it."

Espio glanced up at her before both of their gazes fell on book. "What have you tried to determine if there is anything more to it?"

"The standard methods. Nothing so far."

Leaning back, Espio looked back down at the book. "Grandmother use to read these stories to me . . . from this book."

". . . Remember anything strange?"

". . . No," he flipped to the first page with the intent to study every word and detail, "but . . . those memories are likely rose-tinted."

"Hmm," she agreed. ". . . I did think about magic but I have not tried anything yet. Maybe find something similar to a scan. I'm technically not supposed to use magic at this level – supervised or not. I haven't found any marks particularly promising to be something either."

Espio buried his face in his hands. "We have less than a day to figure it out before the book must be delivered to Mom," he bemoaned.

Amaya studied the older boy.

". . . I feel like I'm being pulled in five directions," he muttered.

Amaya's hand that had been reaching for another almond thin stalled, and slowly slipped back down to the table's edge. "You miss them, huh?" A yellow eye peeped out between fingers at her.

With a jerk, Espio straightened, a frown bleeding out slower to neutral than he wanted. "I shouldn't have said that," he whispered. His eyes caught his cousin's with a look.

"Don't worry," she loosely waved it off, "I won't use it against you." She smiled warmly. Amaya glanced away and bit gingerly on her rolled in lips. ". . . I do want to meet them, though."

"Hm?"

"I want to meet your friends! They sound fun! Not having to think about your wording all the time and just saying what you want – for the most part! Travel wherever you want! Punch people in the face without needing orders first."

Espio posture relaxed a little, if not oozing out some embarrassment at the same time. "You should have been a cultural investigator." He couldn't help smiling.

"Well~ maybe I can be both! Dad always said to try things."

Espio looked back down at the book. ". . . How about we ask Aunty Fawn? It wouldn't hurt."

Amaya stared at him with wide eyes. "Ask Madam?"

A tired sigh. "Sure. Why not? She didn't say she wouldn't."

"But . . . she didn't say she would help," Amaya paused to think.

Espio leaned back and watch Amaya's reaction. You may have been gone for a long time, but you're still a part of the clan, he reassured himself.

Even . . . even if you don't seem to quite think like them anymore.

His gaze flicked back up to Amaya . . . maybe it would be good for Amaya to try some new things. She seemed to have the spark for causing trouble.

Just like Madam Fawn and his mother had . . . and he guessed, like him.


	4. Chapter 4

So much world building.

Remember to R&amp;R your thoughts, from the story to the writing style. (* u *) (Trying to improve.)

* * *

"Five."

"Nine," Sally said, her voice tinted with exasperation.

". . . Six?"

"Closer." A piece of cantaloupe was speared on a fork.

"Four~?"

The original moment when Princess Sally found this whole conversation funny snapped right there and then. Her gaze fell on Sonic and she watched as his smile grew more and more nervous as she glared.

"Fine. Eight – final offer."

"Accepted."

"What _are_ ya'll talking about?"

Both looked up from the table to find Bunnie seating down next to them. The rabbit-mobian sat down her sack lunch and quickly untied it, still giving them both a smirk and a look.

Sonic smirked. "Nuthing~"

"We're-"

"Sally," NICOLE suddenly spoke over the Freedom HQ's PA, "you have a call from Knuckles in the command room."

"You expecting a call, Sal?" Sonic asked, studying the chipmunk-mobian.

She shook her head. "NICOLE, did he state a reason for calling?" Sally said as she stood.

"No, but I think something's wrong."

* * *

"He was originally supposed to get back aboutttt . . . two days and a half ago," Knuckles said grimly on the wide screen. Any members from Team Freedom and Team Fighters already onboard drifted in and lingered in the back as the rumor spread of potential trouble. "His first letter said he'll be late by a couple days tops but in this one he said that for now, he'll explain his lateness when he gets back. He said if he doesn't get back soon enough we should contact Monkey Khan."

Princess Sally's thoughts showed on her face. ". . . Did he give a particular reason why to contact Monkey Khan?"

"No . . . to tell you the truth we were thinking of doing something similar anyway. He never exactly says where he goes on these little treks of his and Monkey Khan would know his way around."

". . . What defines 'soon enough'?"

"When we read the letter . . . something isn't right."

"You guys has been there before," Vector edged onto the screen. "One of the first thing about being a detective is knowing how to get information on a place. Care to give us an overview?"

"I'll ask the advisors to throw together a report on what news they have from the East. NICOLE," she said to the room, "please send off the request."

"On it."

"What are you going to do?" Sally said, turning back to them.

"We're going to go find him," Vector pitched in forcefully, "pull him out of any crap he's gotten himself stuck in."

Knuckles dipped down under Vector to get to the screen again. "We're still debating how exactly, though. None of us has been that far east so we will need a hand with that . . . we also don't want to cause _too much_ trouble for Espio."

"The customs in the Far East can be very different from our own . . . we have contacts there from during the trouble with the Iron Queen. We could ask them for help – at least in helping you learn the region, and one of us can warp you to the right place."

"Thanks."

"How about we come, too?" Sonic asked.

Sally turned, eyebrow raised. "That's a lot of people, Sonic."

"But like you said: we've been there. We could show them around. Besides, somebody has to keep hothead one and hothead two from killing each other," he counted off on his fingers.

"I'm not a hothead."

"Yes you are," Julie-Su chimed in the distant.

Vector eyed Knuckles. "You kinda are-re-re."

Knuckles folded his arms with a glare. "We're not debating this."

"Hey Tails," Sonic turned to the kit, "wanna go on a trip east?"

"Sonic," Sally warned.

"Last time we didn't get to see that beach that supposed to have green sand. _Actual green sand_. Maybe Espio has been there before. Who knows but he probably knows tons of cool places out there."

"Okay, we get it," Sally turned back to the screen. "I suggest we maybe mix the ranks. A sort of . . . contact to a contact."

Knuckles sighed.

* * *

The mist grew thinner as the sun inched towards the western horizon. A pleasant wind blew strongly across this side of the mountain. It blew down with the road around the slope, gently tousling Sonic's quills and fur as he gingerly leaned over the old stone guardrail. "Nice wind here," he spoke, not caring if anyone really acknowledged the words or not.

Tails took a spot next to Sonic, sharing in the view of the misty valley below them. "Seems pretty quiet."

A sudden frown slowly morphed into a mischievous smirk. "Yup."

"I'm terribly sorry for the sudden drop-in visit, Li Yuen," Sally bowed to the aged lion-mobian.

"It is quite alright. We are all indebted for all of your help dethroning the Iron Queen. A couple of nights stay during a time of plenty will not be much trouble."

"Thank you." Turning back, Sally motioned for the rest of the groups to come over. "You know Tails and Sonic already. These are two of our friends from an island called Angel Island. Knuckles the Echidna," Knuckles mimicked Sally's bow, "and Julie-Su the Echidna." Julie-Su flashed a smile before bowing.

"I'm honored," Li Yuen returned the bow.

Julie-su's muscled twitched. How long were they supposed to keep the bow? "We're honored, as well."

"Thanks," Knuckles said simply.

"They're checking up on a friend," Sally continued, "but they have never been out this far east before. We came along with them to help them get a feel of the land and its peoples."

"They are welcomed here. The people of Stormtop Village will gladly help them in learning our culture. Come," he motioned to the group, "let's get you settled."

Julie-Su gently pulled Knuckles to the side as they walked, snatching his attention. "Everyone here seems really formal," she muttered.

"Hmm," Knuckles agreed, "Maybe it was best that the others didn't come for now."

Biting her lip, flashes of what Charmy or Vector could have pulled raced through her mind . . . especially Charmy.

"Have you seen Monkey Khan lately?" Sally asked. "How has he been?"

"Come," Li Yuen motioned for group to keep pace, his features suddenly pressed into a frown, "let us go inside for now." He turned as he paused to think and started down the path towards the main street of the village. "Li Moon will be so excited to see you all."

* * *

"You're staying over!" Li Moon beamed at the group milling in the hallway. "That's wonderful!"

Li Yuen chuckled at his granddaughter. A paw patted her hair as she nearly vibrated with happiness. "Go tidy up the west guest rooms and inform our other guests we'll be having more company for supper. I don't know how long Sally and the boys will be staying but their friends may be here for a while."

"Okay!" her red dress twirled as she dashed around the corner. A bob of black hair popped back from beyond the bend briefly. "Oh, and Tails!"

"Y-yeah?"

"There's something really cool I want to show you that I found later!"

Tails beamed back. "Sure! Okay!"

"Great!" she disappeared again.

There was a soft chuckling to his right and Tails swiftly elbowed Sonic in the gut. Tails gave him a look, getting only a shrug in return.

"Somebody has a crush?" Julie-Su taunted as she slowly leaned down towards the now blushing fox-mobian.

"No!" Tails squeaked.

Li Yuen cleared his throat.

The group settled into an awkward fidgeting quiet as they noticed the lion-mobian's look.

"Why don't you all help me fix supper?"

"We'll love to," Sonic looped an arm around Tails' shoulders

* * *

The door was edged open with a red snicker, gaining the attention of all already inside the side dining room. Sonic shouldered the door open further and shifted the steaming big lidded pot in his mittens to his front. He froze as his eyes locked with the figures sitting at the large table. "Hey, well that make things a lot easier!" he beamed. The shock of those at the table broke as Monkey Khan sighed. "We didn't have to search the whole Yurashian continent for you."

"Oh," Tails said as he slipped in behind Sonic, "hi, Khan."

"Hello, Tails. Sonic."

"You're here?" Tails asked.

Khan nodded. "Li Yuen said you were looking for someone."

"Knuckles thinks Espio's in trouble," Sonic said.

The monkey-mobian's gaze widened. "Espio? That's your friend from the Shinobi Clan."

The stares from the others at the table widened. One, a chicken-mobian next to Khan, cocked an eyebrow at the names just thrown, his glances jumping from Khan and _the_ Sonic the Hedgehog.

Slipping past Sonic to the table, Tails sat down his pot. "I'll go round up the others."

Sonic glanced at the lightly soiled layers of thick bandage around Khan's arm. "How's the arm?"

"I'll live."

"Friends of yours?" Sonic said as he flashed the others a smirk as he took a seat next to Khan.

"Yes. This is Cat Sen and Tac," he motioned to the yellow cat-mobian and pepper-speckled chicken-mobian in turn. "They're members of the new Freedom Fighters for the Dragon Kingdom. We can do proper introductions once everyone's here. Li Moon mentioned Sally and the Chaotix were here as well."

Sonic flashed him a knowing look, noting how Sally's name was spoken. "It's just Knuckles and Julie-Su from the Chaotix."

"And why does the Chaotix think Espio's in trouble?"

"He didn't come back when he said he would. His message he sent instead said to talk to you if he didn't get back 'soon enough'," Sonic threw quotes in the air.

"Why me?"

"I don't know," Sonic shrugged.

With a sigh, Khan picked up his cup again and took a long sip.

"Bad week," Sonic asked.

The cup settled on the table. "We'll get there."

* * *

"It's an honor to meet you," Sally tagged onto the end of their round of introductions.

The extended group sat around the low table as introductions were passed around. Plates filled but no food had been tasted just yet.

"We are honored as well, Princess of the Republic of Acorn," the chicken-mobian spoke up, "The tales of your warriors' deeds reach even this far east."

Sally worried that she may have blushed. "We're . . . It's a group effort. No single person holds a front for long against . . . against someone like Eggman."

The chicken-mobian pounded a fist to his chest. "I am Tac, Masterless Wandering Blade of the Southern Plains! I have seen how Monkey Khan has fought to protect the peace of the Clans and Free People alike, and I was happily serve with those who fight with that same passion in their veins."

Caught in the energy Sonic couldn't help but beam. "Welcome aboard then, Tac."

"My name is Cat Sen. I was a farmer in the valley far to the north. One of the Free Peoples. I," he bit his lip, "All I can say is that I wanted to help." The cat-mobian's distant glaze grew longer and fell to his paws. A fist formed around one of the ends of the keloid running from his palm down his forearm and up his sleeve.

"Then we're glad you're here," Sally replied.

(. . . She knew that look.)

"What happened?" with a glance at Khan, Tails interrupted.

Khan's gaze fell on his arm. "Skirmishes have started up again in earnest," his gaze narrowed, "How did you know I was here?"

"We didn't," Tails replied, "We came to Li Yuen looking for news and where we could maybe find you. We thought maybe you could at least point us in the right direction."

The concerned look on Khan's face was evident. "Three days ago I stopped two assassinations and a takeover of one of the major city of the Free Peoples from the Raiju Clan, or whatever Eggman branch they are now – Egg Clan Army," Khan corrected himself, "The other Freedom Fighters and I staying here to recover was a secret."

"You got laid out for three days?" Sonic asked with a smirk.

"Quiet." Khan gave the hedgehog a look. "Adults are talking." He got a light-hearted chuckle in return from Sonic.

Taking the moment to clear his throat and hopefully any tension, Li Yuen motioned at the full table. "Please, please, remember to eat."

"Oh, right!" Tails took an extra scoop of flavored rice before digging in.

Julie-su took up her cup and studied the deep green tea held within. "Thanks again for the food," she directed to Li Yuen.

"You're welcome, Miss."

"Well, the Raiju Clan, their Egg forces," to Khan's side Tac suppressed his laughter as fast as he could, "and the remnants of the Yagyu Clan have been a pain in our tails for months now. I don't know whether to be truly worried about the Glossamer Clan or not. They have been so quiet lately. It's further and further in between hearing of sightings of them. It is like they're trying to, or are disappearing from the public view, but you know how the saying goes – the quieter, and more dangerous the danger that lurks . . ."

"Yeah," Sally muttered. The warmth radiating from cup felt nice against her hands grasped around its form. It got cold quickly in this mountain air, didn't it?

"This whole thing feels off," Khan finally managed to get the words that have been fermenting on his tongue for weeks to tumble out.

"Has there been any news about the Shinobi Clan?" Knuckles asked.

Khan hesitated. ". . . It's hard to get information on them generally. You all probably understand why, being friends with one of them. They love their secrets." He paused to take a bite. "And that's just the ninja clans with swaying power. There have been assassinations of some of the other clan heads and chiefs from towns of the Free Peoples. We have evidence suggesting that some part of the Yagyu Clan kept their promise to return to the blade, and some of the artisan clans are fighting over allegiances with the ninja and warrior clans for protection."

"It sounds like you have had your hands full." Julie-su took another slow sip, trying to get use to the taste of tea.

With a sigh, Khan deflated a little. "Our numbers are just still too small." He paused. "Maybe if we could get a list of the targets, or how the targets are being given," Khan suggested openly.

"This Espio," Tac added in, "he is really of one of the ninja clans?"

". . . Yeah." Knuckles' gaze hardened on the chicken-mobian as he didn't continue. "What _about_ it?"

Tac swallowed his bite of food. "The methods of shadow warriors cannot be understood. Their actions cannot be predicted, and you have become friends with one of them?"

"Knuckles, you're glaring." Knuckles glanced away as Julie-su turned back to Tac with her own glare. "Is this going to be a problem?"

Cat Sen quietly sipped at his tea as he watched the tension spark.

Sonic waved off the growing mood. "Don't worry, Tac, Espio's one of us."

Tac picked up his cup again as the chicken-mobian's gaze ran across all of them. "I'll stay my tongue for now."

"So Khan, have you thought of any reason why Espio said to talk to you?" Sonic didn't miss Tac's glance in his direction.

Khan shook his head. "I have not talked with or received any messages from the Shinobi Clan since the Iron Queen was overthrown. I still don't know where any of their bases are and their territory is large and is mostly, heavily wooded and laced with strings of caves. I don't see how I'm supposed to help you find Espio."

"Maybe you're not supposed to help us find Espio?" The group's attention fell on Tails. The kit shrugged back. "I don't know … information? They're big on information."

* * *

Soft footfalls patted across the wooden floor of the dimmed hall. Khan kneaded at the tension gripping the muscles between his eyes. The others should be off to bed soon if not settled already in their rooms for the night. He rolled his sore shoulder. He knew the restlessness winding through his body, easily the two of them becoming close and now old comrades, and knew he probably would not be able to sleep just yet.

"Khan?"

Khan turned back to find Tac coming down the hall after him.

"Yes Tac?"

"I've been thinking about what the kit said," a pause, "We should move, at least somewhere more securable in the village. I have dealt with ninja tricks much longer than you. Having allies _accidentally_ flush out a target would be just up their alley. Cat Sen and I have given our word to protect you. If- . . ."

Khan turned the suggestion over a couple times while it cooked. "The Chaotix and the Northameran Freedom Fighters have fought alongside Espio for a long time. They trust him, and the Shinobi Clan has largely stayed from the recent fighting."

"And his friends say something is wrong."

". . ."

"He hasn't come back from traveling when he was supposed to and all they have are messages."

With renewed determination, Khan's gaze finally returned to Tac. "Tell the others to stay alert but be quiet about it."

". . . Alright."


End file.
